[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-dark-and-dawn-light-years":3,"chapter-dark-and-dawn-light-years-dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-5":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Dark and Dawn Light-Years",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2264605,4420,"Chapter 5: Both Emotion and Reason Are Valid","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-5",5,"\u003Cp>Hearing Li Lin’s words, Wu Shu’s face filled with disbelief: “She wandered off on her own? How could she wander off on her own!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Shen murmured beside him: “No, Xiumang was so well-behaved, so obedient—she never ran off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people around them also whispered among themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The whole village was so small, you could see it all at a glance—where could she possibly have gone?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, nightfall is already coming; if she doesn’t return soon, trouble is certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Shu asked quietly: “Li Xiaolang, are you certain she wandered off on her own?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t sense any eerie presence,” Li Lin thought for a moment and said, “Let’s ask the Tree Immortal Lady—she must know where Xiumang went.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, yes, yes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group nodded in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Tree Immortal Lady has great powers—she must know what happened to Xiumang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But ordinary people cannot see eerie entities and cannot speak with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, ordinary people fear eerie entities and dare not interact with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin arrived at the green stone altar, bowed, and asked: “Tree Immortal Lady, do you know where Xiumang went?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Gowned Apparition appeared, floating midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She made no movement, only stared fixedly at Li Lin’s left hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin smiled: “Women are too greedy—it’s no good!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Gowned Apparition’s dull eyes flickered slightly, as if displeased, but she still raised her hand and pointed toward the eastern edge of the village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did she leave on her own, or was she abducted?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Gowned Apparition’s lips curled higher, as if sneering, but she had no desire to speak further and vanished instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This eerie entity is capricious—Li Lin had known that long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shook his head and left the altar; the villagers immediately surrounded him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Xunshou, where did Xiumang go?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What did the Tree Immortal Lady say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin lifted his head slightly, waited until the villagers fell silent, then said: “The Tree Immortal Lady says Xiumang left on her own—she went toward the eastern edge of the village.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The eastern edge?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone exchanged glances; finally, Zhao Shu said: “She probably wants to return to Feirong County.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The atmosphere fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because they all knew Xiumang had originally been from Feirong County; after her family suffered misfortune in childhood, she was sent to live with Wu Shu’s household.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over these past dozen years, Wu Shu’s family had treated her as their own daughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone then said: “Night is falling—she can’t make it back to Feirong County; there isn’t enough time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone understood how terrifying the wilderness at night could be!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Wu Shen’s eyes rolled back and she fainted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Shu stood frozen for a long while, then knelt before Li Lin and pounded his head against the ground, silent, pounding again and again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hit hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, no one around spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone watched silently as events unfolded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin was about to refuse—he was indeed a Spirit Hunter, but he had no desire to spend the night in the wilds; it was too dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, two more men knelt down and joined Wu Shu in pounding their heads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One was a youth, the other a boy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both were Wu family’s children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three men were all silent types, saying not a word, only pounding their heads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud-thud-thud—the sound never ceased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, blood appeared on their foreheads, mixed with dust and dirt, looking painfully raw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The villagers around them still watched in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one spoke, for they all understood: each side had its ‘reason.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wu family was desperate to save their loved one; though it seemed coercive, their motive was understandable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xunshou helping was kindness; refusing was also reasonable—no one could blame him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But seeing the blood on the three men’s foreheads, Li Lin sighed and said: “Fine, I’ll go after her—but I can’t promise I’ll bring her back safely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Li Xunshou. If even you can’t bring her back, then this is her fate,” the old man said, still kneeling, then shouted to the woman beside him: “Wife, stop lying there—go get the donkey and bring it for Li Xunshou to ride!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin rode the small donkey along the country path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The donkey wasn’t faster than Li Lin, but riding saved his strength, and if Xiumang agreed to return, having the donkey carry her would make things easier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wu family had truly staked everything—this little donkey was their greatest asset.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could pull the mill, haul goods, or even be sold for several silver taels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To use it for this purpose, without caring whether it would even survive the night, proved the Wu family truly regarded Xiumang as their daughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky gradually darkened; low clouds hung heavy, and the path ahead was nearly invisible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surroundings were unnervingly silent—only the wind rustling through grass and trees broke the quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Lin knew this was merely the calm before the storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The donkey walked a little farther; the last sliver of twilight vanished, and the entire world plunged into pitch blackness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, suddenly, the world erupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Voices everywhere—human voices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along both sides of the road, countless whispers arose, as if countless invisible people stood watching Li Lin, staring, gossiping about him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though each voice was faint, the sheer number made it deafening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He even began to hear hallucinations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Lin, it’s Wang Shang, your desk partner—we haven’t played League together in ages, come on, let’s go!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Lin, it’s Liu Ruyan—why didn’t you read my love letter?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Lin, I brought your food—call me Father…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These voices flooded straight into his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin pulled the donkey to a stop and listened quietly in the darkness; then his face grew weary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He truly wanted to go back too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This damned world—if he could, he wouldn’t stay a single moment longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After listening longer, he felt a bone-deep chill—he knew he couldn’t delay any longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gripped the white jade tablet at his waist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As his blood flowed into it, the tablet glowed red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the surrounding clamor vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin straightened his resolve and pressed onward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after, he heard movement ahead—a woman’s laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded familiar—likely Xiumang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He poured more blood into the white jade tablet; its red glow brightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A little farther, he saw a woman sitting in the middle of the road, as if cuddling with something invisible, her cheek pressed to its.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She laughed joyfully, recklessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is where I belong—this is the life I deserve,” Xiumang swayed, reeking of alcohol: “Qin Lang, you’re so good to me—I’ll give you a whole litter of fat sons.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Beauty, your lips are so sweet—let me taste them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A rough male voice rang out, but no figure could be seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin walked over and drew Xiumang into the red glow of the white jade tablet; the male voice shrieked and vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiumang shuddered and came to her senses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stared wildly around her, then stood up, frantically searching for something, shouting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Qin Lang, where are you? Where did you go?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where’s my new home? Where are my silks? This dress is ugly—someone, bring me my silks! Hurry!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Qin Lang, come out—don’t scare me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin sat on the donkey, watching the woman who seemed utterly mad, and frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xiumang, stop pretending—I can tell you’re not insane. Come back with me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiumang’s body froze instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then slowly, she turned, fixing Li Lin on the donkey with a look of hatred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t need you to care for me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She screamed with all her strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1258,"2026-06-19T19:39:18.782Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","d7083c0e86be8858ebbdcb2a66c13d3c708979e9d9c59d7c3b0e7c3fe2d0c21b","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-6","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-4",221,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdark-and-dawn-light-years-cover.jpg"]